Lecture Notes/Outine: Chapter 17: Older Adulthood Personality & Sociocultural Development

Chapter 17: older Adulthood Personality & Sociocultural Development

I. Personality and Aging
A. STATUS PASSAGES – the changes in role and social position that occurs when a person enters adolescence, becomes a parent, retires, or becomes a widow or widower

B. Developmental tasks in older adulthood
1. Erikson’s stage of integrity versus despair
a. INTEGRITY VERSUS DESPAIR – according to Erikson, the final developmental task in the lifespan when people think about how their lives have fulfilled their earlier expectations
b. Part of the adjustment to older adulthood includes the need to reminisce and reflect on past events
c. Older adults may still have regrets, but satisfactory resolution involves accepting that not everything in life has worked out as ideal, yet life has been of value

2. Maintaining identity
a. Identity is a clear and consistent view of the physical, psychological, and social attributes of one’s self
b. Assimilation of changing circumstances and accommodating one’s self when major life events cannot be assimilated
c. Ideally a balance between assimilation and accommodation occurs
d. Maintaining consistency in personal identity is key for many of the very old

C. Emotional development in older adulthood
1. This life stage is usually experienced as one of continued emotional growth
2. Satisfaction with their interpersonal relationships occurs
3. Awareness of the fragility of human life leads to greater investments in emotionally close relationships
4. Positive emotions occur at the same rate, but negative emotions surface less frequently
5. Sense of time is fleeting and usually deepens and can cause sadness


D. Continuity and change in older adulthood
1. Continuity and change in personality
a. Personality is largely established by early adulthood, but some minor changes occur
b. Have higher self esteem and more life satisfaction
c. Well being has been conceptualized as being comprised of six components
d. Each of these components can increase or decrease as adults grow older
e. They are self acceptance, positive relations with other people, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, personal growth

2. Coping styles
a. Coping styles appear to become increasingly mature as we grow older
b. Found to be more passive and focused on emotions instead of active and focusing on specific problems
c. MAGIC MASTERY – a coping style of very old men that is characterized by dealing with reality through projection and distortion
d. PARENTAL IMPERATIVE – the traditional social pressures for women to conform to nurturing roles and for men to be financially responsible and to suppress any traits that conflict with that role. The parental imperative usually relaxes when children are launched

E. Successful aging
1. Social comparison plays a crucial role
2. Older adults who compare their situations to those of other older people modify their perspectives accordingly
3. Health is not the only factor, money, social class, marital status, adequacy of housing, and amount of social interaction also play an influence on satisfaction
4. Successful aging involves maintaining physical and cognitive functioning and being engaged in social and productive activities





II. Retirement: A Major Change in Status
A. Adjusting to retirement
1. Attitude toward work is an important influence on how a person experiences retirement
2. If they are very devoted to work, leisure activities may seem superficial and lack meaning
3. Economic status is another major factor
4. Women are often more likely to be poor
5. This could possibly be due to lower wages during working time
6. Health also plays a role in satisfaction with the transition to retirement

B. Retirement options
1. Older adults often prefer to continue working, but for fewer hours
2. Increases in social security benefits, retirement funds, and pensions are partially responsible for delayed retirement and early retirement
3. Income, a place to live, adequate savings, and plans for further work, are specific factors considered before retirement
4. RETIREMENT MATURITY – a measure of how well prepared a person is to retire

III. Family and Friends: Interpersonal Contexts
A. When parenting is over
1. When children leave, relationships change
2. Decreased stress and increased feelings of satisfaction occur
3. Couples with marriage as the emotional center of their lives are generally among the most satisfied
4. Relationships with children and grandchildren
a. Most adults report having relatively frequent contact with their children and grandchildren
b. Grandparenthood is often seen as one of the most satisfying roles of older adulthood
c. Kinship patterns have undergone change
d. Divorce and remarriage have made family grand-parenting more complex, but grandparents have an important role in maintaining stability during disruption




B. Caring for an ill spouse
1. When illness is temporary it is relatively easy to make short term adjustments
2. When an illness is terminal, care giving can consume the caregiver’s life
3. Despite stresses and strains, caregivers often report gratification from providing care for a person who means so much to them

C. Widows and widowers
1. Living arrangements
a. Women are less likely than men to remarry
b. Women tend to survive their spouses
c. Living alone involves many practical and psychological challenges
d. The prospect of being alone causes loneliness, and therefore many of these people seek out companionship from friends and family members

2. Social support
a. Widowers are less active in social organizations
b. Widows have an easier time maintaining a social life
c. Typically depend heavily on their children
d. Having the children become more involved can cause problems
e. Siblings also contribute to helping an older adult adjust to he loss of their spouse
f. Friendships can provide similar support, but older adults do not feel they can make the same demands on friends as family

IV. U.S. Social Policy and Older Adulthood
A. The demographics of aging
1. SOCIAL SECURITY – a U.S. government pension program of forced savings through payroll deductions from working adults’ income and corporate contributions, with money disbursed to the adults after they reach a certain minimum age, usually at retirement

2. MEDICARE – a U.S. government program subsidized by taxes that provides payment for many basic health care services and drugs needed by older adults
3. SS provides the largest proportions of retirement income for older adults
4. SS and Medicare are just 2 programs
5. Another problem that needs to be addressed is public housing does not accommodate the requirements of older adults

B. Lifestyle options for older adults
1. Nursing homes
a. Placement can be temporary or long term
b. The care received can vary widely in quality
c. People often experience anxiety and dread before entering a nursing home
d. Children often feel guilty
e. Loss of independence, identity, and control over daily routine can lead to apathy, passivity, bitterness, or depression
f. Assisted living centers are growing in popularity – older adults live in their own apartments but also receive some support in meeting their daily needs

2. Day care centers for older adults
a. For families who care for their older relative in the evening and at night
b. Day care centers allow the family to maintain a normal work schedule
c. They also provide a stimulating and agreeable environment for older adults
d. Usually the cost is not covered by health insurance

3. Other options
a. Retirement communities allow adults to maintain their own home, while living in communities comprised of other older residents
b. Community services can sometimes allow people to stay in their own homes and still get some limited support

C. Goals for the care of older adults
1. Older adults are a varied group
2. Gray Panthers and the AARP are giving older adults a better self image
3. Older adults do not imply a larger or unfair burden on the rest of society